City of Stars
by HeartMuses
Summary: Set to start between CoLS and CoHF, Meredith "Wayland" finds herself tied up in the drama of the New York Institute, where nobody is quite who they seem. She struggles to find her place amongst the other Shadowhunters and stumbles upon new and unforeseen adventures with a side effect of love.
1. Chapter 1

**I have a large amount of this story already written and will be updating frequently. However, I have been working on it (on and off) for a few years now, so the quality of the writing at the beginning is not totally up to par. I apologize.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own The Mortal Instruments series or any of its characters. **

Meredith stared into the blue eyes that faced her. Alec Lightwood lay oddly close to her on her bed in the Institute, which was strange considering that Alec was a very gay boy, and Meredith was a girl, last she checked.  
Being as such, Alec shouldn't have seemed so mesmerized by her. As far as she knew, Alec was busy getting over Magnus Bane, whom which he had broken up within the recent weeks.  
All was quiet as the corner of his mouth crept into a lopsided grin. Realizing this, he looked away from Meredith quickly.  
"What's wrong?" she asked, her smile fading. Alec wouldn't look at her.  
"Nothing," he denied.  
"That's not true."  
It was now deathly quiet. Meredith watched as Alexander's chest rose and fell with every shaking breath. He knew that it was about time to admit to his big secret, but he genuinely didn't know how.  
He took a long, deep breath and mustered up the courage to do what he had been yearning to.  
"I want to try something," he started, "Don't make fun of me, and if this makes you uncomfortable, stop me." Meredith nodded and Alec leaned closer, resting his weight on his elbows. "Promise?"  
"Promise."  
With that, he fell forward, his lips crashing onto hers. It was all an experiment to see if he would feel something, or even possibly like it. He honestly hoped that he would.  
Kissing Meredith Wayland was so different from kissing the warlock Magnus Bane. Her lips were soft and warm. They moved gently, and her body melted into his. Magnus had always kissed so forcefully, constantly wanting control, and Alec gave it to him. But Meredith looked to him for the lead. It was strange, but also kind of nice to have the upper-hand.  
Meredith on the other hand was stricken with bewilderment. _This is just an experiment,_ she told herself. He was just… testing his gayness, but she might as well give him a run for his money.  
After a moment, the kiss deepened, becoming more emotional and intimate. That didn't last long though, because Alec panicked. This was not at all what he had expected. He had meant to be quick, but it felt too good. Alexander pulled back.  
There was a short silence, and Meredith stared him down. "Is that what you wanted?" She asked, just as Jace appeared in the doorway.  
Seeing Jace right then had been torture. A pang of guilt surged through Alec as he was hit with his long lost feelings for him.  
"Hey. Sorry if I'm interrupting but Simon, Izzy, Clary, and I are going to Taki's if you want to come," the blond angel said.  
Meredith nodded and Alec smiled. "I'm in if she is," he sighed.  
"Okay, let's go," Jace said.  
Meredith looked to Alec. "I'll meet you guys in the foyer. I'll be down in a minute."  
And with that, Alec and Jace left her room.

Meredith was confused. Was she supposed to enjoy the kiss, or not? How did Alec feel about it? All that she knew was that kissing him was the best feeling in the world, and it scared her.  
She stood in front of her vanity, looking in the mirror. Quickly, she threw her hair into a messy bun, neglecting it. She then shucked off there sweaty black t-shirt and black jeans that she had worn for training earlier that day, replacing them with a white tank top and jeans, throwing a red flannel on to keep herself warm. Leaving her room, she briefly wondered if she should tell Izzy or Clary about what had happened but ultimately decided against it.

The three Lightwoods, Izzy, Jace and Alec, stood in front of the elevator silently. There was an odd awkwardness emitting from Alec, who stood stiffly next to his Parabatai. The four of them loaded into the old elevator and he gravitated towards the corner.  
Izzy stared Meredith down questioningly. "I see that you are going for a grunge hipster look today," she said as the elevator lurched to a halt.  
Once they entered the street, Alec approached Meredith and whispered "I think you look good," right in her ear. Together, they walked behind Izzy and Jace in a silence that didn't feel at all awkward, but actually comforting. Just before they entered the restaurant, he stopped her and said, "Don't tell anyone. Especially Jace."  
She nodded with a faint smile. There was a subtle panic in his voice that seemed a little funny to her, though she didn't know why.  
Their group sat at their usual booth by the window. Jace, Clary and Meredith facing Simon, Izzy and Alec, as always. Although Shadowhunters were an adventurous and brave people, they were also creatures of habit.  
They talked, audaciously discussing the Clave and briefly touched on Jace's issue with Heavenly Fire.  
Jace squirmed slightly when he saw Simon pull Isabelle close to him, and not because it made him uncomfortable. Jace Wayland-Morgenstern-Herrondale-Lightwood was jealous. It wasn't fair that Simon could have the luxury of touching human flesh without worrying of burning it. It simply wasn't.  
Alec found himself glancing from Meredith to Jace, from Jace to Meredith, and back again. Mere sipped at her cup of green tea while Jace slouched in the corner of the booth, Clary between them. He didn't say much at all, but that wasn't unusual. He often spent his time as an observer, occasionally interjecting with his opinions.  
Shortly, they all finished their meals and went back to the Institute.

The library was quiet. Mayrse Lightwood sat alone, a glass of red wine in the loose grip of her hand. She heard the door snap shut and looked up.  
In walked the children of the Institute. Together, they all seated themselves on the couch and chairs beside the fire, which burned a brilliant shade of orange. They spoke in the quiet voices that were seemingly required in the silence of the library. Seeing her chance, Mayrse spoke up, cutting off their conversations.  
"There has been a lot of talk lately about our family. People have questioned my relationship with Robert, and my association with Valentine Morgenstern."  
It was Meredith who replied. "Are you accusing us, Mrs. Lightwood?"  
"Absolutely not!" She insisted, "I am simply informing you that they are correct."  
Words caught in Meredith's throat, "Excuse me?"  
"Mr. Morgenstern and I did have and intimate relationship. An affair." Silence fell.  
Behind Meredith, everyone was on their feet, quickly trying to remove themselves from this situation. She joined them. But Mayrse kept talking, slamming her wine glass against the desk. "And we had a child."  
Mere stopped in her tracks. Time seemed to slow down as the gears turned in her mind. Then it hit her. Meredith didn't know who her parents were before, but she did now. "By the Angel…"  
Behind her, Jace was the first to react. For a moment, he studied Meredith, then said, "That's what Seb- or… Jonathan meant." His voice trailed off when Alec nearly collapsed. The dark haired boy stumbled back and caught himself on the wall. "Alec!" Jace shouted. He leapt forward to aid his Parabatai.  
The next few minutes turned to jelly in Meredith's brain. She vaguely remembered Jace escorting Alec out of the room. What she didn't realize was that Isabelle had begun to yell at her mother. _Their_ mother.  
Suddenly, the shouts ceased and Izzy stormed out. "Isabelle!" Mayrse called after her without any answer.  
"Why are you telling me this now? Why have you waited so long?" Meredith asked, her anger catching in her throat.  
"Oh, for many reasons. You weren't ready. Your attention was on other things. I didn't want you to know while you father was still alive," The next few reasons turned to a muddle as they passed through Meredith. Her stomach felt sick with this new information.  
"You didn't want me to have a _living_ father? That's mad. And now, all the worse, I have to deal with my sadistic sociopath of a brother!" _And Clary,_ echoed in her mind.  
Meredith turned on her heels and marched out.

"And I kissed her," Alec admitted to Jace, who looked stunned. "I wasn't thinking. It was all a test really. For some reason, I'm drawn to her in a way that is entirely foreign to me."  
Jace's mouth hung open as he stared, "Does she know that?"  
"All that I told her was that I wanted to try it."  
"But what kind of kiss was it?"  
Alec sighed, "It was unlike any other kiss that I had ever experienced."  
Jace chuckled in spite of himself. "And It would be, considering that it was the first time that you had ever kissed a _girl_."  
Instead of glaring or making a snide remark in return, Alec ignored him. "The feeling was indescribable. We just fell into each other and everything else became invisible. It was just us." Jace nodded like he knew the feeling. "But what do I do? Should I tell her?" Alec asked desperately.  
Jace pondered it. "Not yet. Eventually, sure. But let this all settle down first."  
The pair heard footsteps. Someone was entering the foyer, where they sat on the wrought iron bench. It was Meredith.  
"Where are you off to?" Jace asked when she grabbed her coat off of the rack.  
"Clary's," she said shortly, "I have to tell her."  
Alec shook his head, "Not alone, you won't."  
"I'll be fine."  
Jace also shook his head, "I'm coming with you."  
"I don't need your protection," she huffed defiantly.  
"I never said that I was concerned for your safety. I want to see my girlfriend," Jace said convincingly. Meredith nodded, glancing to Alec to see if he was satisfied. He instantly averted his eyes. She and Jace boarded the elevator and began their descent.

 **If you enjoyed or have any advice, please feel free to leave a comment, but I do ask that you be kind.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I have a large amount of this story already written and will be updating frequently. However, I have been working on it (on and off) for a few years now, so the quality of the writing at the beginning is not totally up to par. I apologize.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own The Mortal Instruments series or any of its characters. **

Luke had begun to pace the length of the living room. "But that's not possible," he insisted, "There can't be another! There are only three Lightwoods. Two living, one dead."  
A hint of a smirk played with Jace's lips. "You don't even know half of it yet. There's more."  
Meredith looked down as everyone stared expectingly. She glanced from Jocelyn to Clary. "I'm technically not a Lightwood. I'm a Morgenstern," She paused, letting it sink in, "Mayrse is my mother, but Valentine is my father by blood."  
Jocelyn stared, blank faced, before slowly turning and retreating to the bedroom that her and Luke shared. Luke ran after her.  
Meredith glanced to her supposed sister, Clary. No one spoke. There was a long and piercing silence before Jace stood. "Well, we should probably get going before it gets dark," he said.  
Meredith shook her head, "I can't face Mayrse yet." She had never looked so weak and small to Jace. He had always seen her as a girl who could kick your ass if you made her upset, but this was a whole new girl to him.  
"Mere, you have to."  
"She can stay here," Luke said, emerging from the bedroom, "I would like to speak with Mayrse before you return to the Institute."  
Jace turned back to the door, "Alec is going to flip when I tell him," he said.  
Meredith stared up at him, her eyes full of question. "Why?" She whispered as his hand closed around the doorknob.  
"Because he's in love with you," he sighed so only she could hear, walking out of the house.

Alec lay in the dark of his bedroom, staring at the ceiling. All was quiet except for the ticking of his analog clock. It was pretty clear now that sleep was not going to greet him anytime soon, and he slowly gave up on the idea of rest. All that he knew was that he was desperate to escape his predicament. He debated internally how that was possible, and instantly thought of Magnus. All that he had to do was convince Magnus to get back together with him, and this whole thing would disappear.  
Anxious, he didn't want to wait. He swung his legs onto the ground and hastily began to dress himself. Within minutes, he was in the pouring rain and on his way to Brooklyn.  
As Alec walked to the subway station, he felt his phone buzz softly in his coat pocket. He reached in and pulled it out. In the bright darkness of a New York City night, his screen glowed as he read the message. It was from Meredith.  
 **Meredith Wayland: You love me?  
** His hands grasped the phone tight as he typed a cheeky response.  
 **Me: Of course I love you. You are my sister, after all ;)  
** Seeing her name in the LED screen hurt Alec. Although, it wasn't really the name in itself, it was the surname, "Wayland." In his mind, he knew that he should change it, but his aching heart would not let him. _It's not even Lightwood,_ he reminded himself, but changing the name seemed to be an ultimate admission of the truth. He couldn't do that.  
The phone vibrated again.  
 **Meredith Wayland: You know that's not what I meant.  
** He did know. But he didn't want to admit to his love, so he tucked the phone away in his pocket. Without much thought or consideration, he followed the old route that he used to take to Magnus's nearly every day. One short subway ride across the river, then walk five and a half blocks south, cut through the dark alley (which still scared Alec, even though he'd cut through it what felt like a million times) and then two blocks east.  
When Alec emerged from the Brooklyn subway station, a steady rain had begun to fall. Hastily, he pulled his hood up over his face.  
He had walked about two blocks when his phone began to ring. Once again, it was Meredith. Panic came over him as he stared down at her caller ID picture, his classic 'old phone' ringtone echoing in the night. In his panic, he tried to decide whether or not to answer, but by the time that he decided to, the ringing had ceased. Shrugging it off, and also slightly glad that he dodged her questions, he returned to his phone to his pocket and continued walking.  
While he walked, he subconsciously thought about his relationship with Meredith. From the moment that they had met, Meredith had driven Alec crazy, and not always in a good way. She was annoying at first, but Alec had a feeling that he had thought so only because Jace did. But then he realized why Jace thought she was so horrible: because she was just like him. They were one in the same.  
This occurred to him during their first trip to Idris. When they fought against Valentine's army, she was told that she couldn't fight. But she then continued to insist that she would rather die than do nothing at all. Jace would have said the same thing.  
And she was a warrior, most definitely.  
There was much more to her than that though, he had discovered. They would often find themselves wandering the streets of Alicante, just talking. The two were close in age and naturally gravitated towards one another. She had become a bit of a safe haven for him when issues arose with Magnus. The Magnus that he was now running to in order to escape her.

When her eyes finally closed, she saw a familiar face: Alec's. He was wandering through what appeared to be a dark alley with his head down and his hands shoved deep into his pockets.  
A pair of dark figures trailed behind him, gaining steadily. Alec was completely unaware.  
As they grew closer, she could feel her heartbeat quicken. The pulse rose up her throat and into her head. This was no normal dream. She had senses, she had emotions. She understood this much.  
One of the figures lunged for the boy, and everything went black for a moment.

 **If you enjoyed or have any advice, please feel free to leave a comment, but I do ask that you be kind.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I have a large amount of this story already written and will be updating frequently. However, I have been working on it (on and off) for a few years now, so the quality of the writing at the beginning is not totally up to par. I apologize.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own The Mortal Instruments series or any of its characters. **

Meredith Morgenstern sat upright on the Garroway couch, choking on her own heartbeat. Outside, thunder rolled and rain beat down on the windows. Her hands shook as she pushed herself up and raced to the kitchen. Hastily scribbling out a short note to Clary, she grabbed the knife from under the piano bench and left.

It all happened so fast. Alec blinked and suddenly he felt a piercing pain around his back and midsection.  
"Agh!" He screamed, his hand flying to his boot where he usually concealed his knife. It wasn't there. He had left the Institute too prematurely and had forgotten to arm himself.  
Struggling against the force that pulled him down, he fell face first onto the wet, rain (and blood) soaked pavement.

How would she even find him? All that she knew was that she was looking for a teenage boy who had been attacked by a demon. There could be hundreds.

He lay in the alley where the demons had left him. He was merely a heap of skin and blood on the soaking pavement. This is how he was going to die, he was sure of it. There was nobody to save his ass this time. He slipped in and out of consciousness, waiting for one to be his last. And then he heard the scream.

She didn't know where she was running to, she just let her legs carry her. Suddenly, she stopped. "Alec!" She screamed.

"Meredith!" He shouted as loud as he could manage, his voice hoarse, chest hurting with every shallow breath.

"Oh Alec," She cried, kneeling next to him. The concrete beneath her knees was wet with either blood or rain water. She wasn't sure which.  
"Meredith," he choked, "I'm sorry. For everything. I do love you. This is-"  
"No," She cried defiantly, "You are not going to die, Alexander. I won't let you." But she couldn't heal him, not lift him to bring him to someone who could. She thrust all of her weight onto one of the deepest wounds that stretched across his thigh. What was she to do? There was no way to get help fast enough.  
They couldn't get back to the Institute, and even if they did, nobody could heal him except for the Silent Brothers. That would take far too long.  
She briefly thought of taking him straight to the Silent City, but arriving uninvited would be risky.  
Magnus Bane, who didn't live but a few blocks away, had always been their healer, but since their breakup, he wanted nothing to do with them. But out of hopelessness, she was going to have to try.  
Bracing herself, Meredith lifted Alec into her arms and ran.

Frantic, she jammed her finger into the doorbell. The tears streaked her face, and blood stained her hands. Alec was limp in her arms, finally having fallen into sustained unconsciousness. What if Magnus wouldn't help them? She'd pay him anything…  
The door flew open and standing in its place was a very disgruntled High Warlock.  
"What do you want?" He demanded before noticing who he was speaking to. As he distinguished this, he promptly turned away and began to close the door.  
She gulped, "Magnus, I know what you told Alec. I know that you're mad. But he's dying." He glanced at the shape in her grasp for what seemed to be the first time, and his expression darkened. "Please, help him."  
There was a silence before he stepped back. "Bring him in."

Meredith looked down at herself. Blood covered her clothes and her bare arms. In front of her, Magnus was doing his job, whispering spells over Alec's motionless body. The only movement that graced the patient was the steady rise and fall of his chest.  
The chants paused and Magnus glanced over his shoulder at her. "Go shower. You're getting blood on my carpet." His voice sounded brash and wrathful, but she could see in his cat eyes that he truly cared about both her and Alec. She retreated to the small, plain bathroom down the hall.  
The girl who stared back at her in the mirror looked miserable. Carefully, she pealed off her blood drenched clothing. Her upper body was exhausted from baring the weight of the older boy, but she shrugged it off as she stepped into the stream of hot water.  
The rain-like drops beat down on her bare back rhythmically while she reflected on the previous day. Within the last twenty-four hours, she had learned so much, and she struggled to believe that it was all true: Her gay brother was straight and in love with her, her father and other brother were evil masterminds, she was the result of an affair, she actually had a living family. She battled with convincing herself that this was even real life.  
She had felt drawn to Alec when she met him, but she thought that she could never have him because he was gay. Now, he wanted her, but they could never be together. Not now.  
After a long hot wash, Meredith poked her head out the door. She was about to call out to Magnus when he answered the question she was trying to ask. "There is a change of clothes on the bed in the room across the hall. You can fold the dirty ones and leave them in there as well."  
She did as she was told, quickly changing into the pair of leggings and sweatshirt. "Is Alec going to be okay?" Meredith asked impatiently, walking back into the living room.  
Magnus laughed, "He'll be fine. He's just resting now. What the hell were you kids doing out so late?"  
"Oh, I wanted to see Time Square. I've never been there before," She lied. Alec had taken her to Times Square just a week before.  
"How's life at the Institute been?" He asked shyly, sitting down in an armchair.  
Meredith sighed heavily, surprised that he even wanted to talk. Although slightly hesitant, she explained the business with Mayrse, purposefully leaving out the party where Alec was in love with her. As she spoke, he listened intently.  
"So in short, it has been interesting?" He conferred when she finished. Meredith forced a polite laugh and nodded.  
Slight movement arose on the couch. A pained groan escaped Alec's lips as he opened his eyes. "Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty," Magnus said coldly, jumping to his feet.  
"What the…" Alec grumbled, glancing around in confusion. Meredith watched as the poor battered boy tried to force himself into a sitting position. He glanced over to her for a moment before looking away. If Alec were a window, he would be a beautiful stained glass one, yet he was riddled with bullet holes and ready to shatter at any moment.  
In her foggy mind, she vaguely registered Magnus carefully helping Alec to his feet and into a spare bedroom. She too took to her feet and wandered into another bedroom, collapsing against the bed in exhaustion.

 **If you enjoyed or have any advice, please feel free to leave a comment, but I do ask that you be kind.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I have a large amount of this story already written and will be updating frequently. However, I have been working on it (on and off) for a few years now, so the quality of the writing at the beginning is not totally up to par. I apologize.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own The Mortal Instruments series or any of its characters. **

Alec knew that Magnus was right. He should be resting. But thoughts raced in his mind, forbidding him from sleeping. The pain in his legs also caused him considerable discomfort as he leaned against his headboard, restless. The clock radio on the bedside table filled the background. Currently, it was one of the "overly pretentious indie songs" that Jace hated, but Alec secretly enjoyed.  
He listened half-heartedly as he struggled to think up a way to get out of this situation in the light of the bedside lamp. Sleeping in a room in this loft other than Magnus's felt demeaning. In this very place, the pair of them had spent many a night together. Alec remembered the first time that he had stepped foot in Magnus's loft for the party that Clary had led them to. That was before he knew anything of Meredith. The name was a stranger to him.  
He had met her in Alicante. He looked back on that day fondly, remembering that it had been Inquisitor Aldertree who had introduced the two of them.

 _The Gard bustled with the customary noise of adult Shadowhunters during the short recess in the meeting. Alec pushed his way towards the door, anxious to get beck to the house where Jace, Izzy and Simon were. as he propelled himself through the crowd, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder  
"Alexander," a masculine voice said. Expecting to see his father, Alec turned. To his surprise, the Inquisitor stood before him.  
"Oh, good afternoon, Inquisitor," he sighed impatiently.  
The Inquisitor smiled, "This is Meredith." from behind the round man stepped a tall blonde girl, her hand extended in Alec's direction. Her handshake was limp.  
"I'm Alec Lightwood," he smiled gently, making momentary eye contact with her. Her eyes were dark, and in the witchlight they appeared black.  
"She has recently graduated from the Shadowhunter Academy and would like to live in an Institute. Due to the recent happenings in New York, be believe that she could be of use there," the Inquisitor smiled with his usual cheery tone, "Would you be so kind to introduce her to the rest of the residents?"  
At the time, Alec didn't think much of this news, but looking back is when he realized that it should have seemed incredibly suspicious. "Absolutely," he said curtly. The girl smiled sheepishly.  
"Oh, and while you are there, would you please send the Daylighter our way?"  
Slightly on edge, Alec questioned him, "For what, sir?"  
The Inquisitor grinned, "Due to the fact that he is a Downworlder and was not properly permitted to enter Alicante, we would like to send him back to New York, where he belongs."  
Alec nodded at this before turning away.  
The entire walk home was silent between him and this new addition to their Institute, but next to him, her stride matched his. In short moments, he stole an occasional glance at her while they walked, noticing the little things: her head bobbed at about the height of his shoulders, her hair fell slightly over her left eye, her skin was as white as a porcelain doll, her eyelashes were so long that they touched her brow bone, and she bore the usual scars and Marks of a young Shadowhunter. Even though she was outwardly sweet, it was pretty clear that she could kick Alec's butt if he were to challenge her. A few things struck Alec as unusual, however, such as the family ring that encircled her finger which was usually only warn by male Shadowhunters, and the point of her features looked oddly familiar…  
The Penhallow residence was not far from the Gard, just a few short blocks down the road. Alec hurriedly threw open the door and entered, holding it open for Meredith. "This way," He instructed, leading her through the dark entry hall.  
"Back so soon?" Jace's voice chimed as they pushed into the living room.  
Alec plucked an apple off of the food covered table, "Not for long," he sighed, "I just came back to get-him." He gestured towards Simon. "He's wanted at the Gard."  
"Really?" Aline gasped from the sofa.  
Jace shot to his feet, "Wanted for what? I hope that you found out before you promised to deliver him, at least."  
"Of course I _asked," _Alec snapped, "I'm not stupid."  
"Oh, come on," Isabelle said from the kitchen doorway next to Sebastian, "Sometimes you are a bit stupid, you know. Just a _bit _."  
Alec tried his hardest to ignore her, "They are sending Simon back to New York. Though the portal."  
"But he just got here," Isabelle pouted, "That's no fun!"  
"It's not supposed to be fun, Izzy. Simon coming here was an accident, so the Clave thinks the best thing is for him to go home."  
"Great," Simon sighed, "Maybe I'll even make it back before my mother even notices I'm gone. What's the time difference between here and Manhattan?"  
Aline gasped, "You have a mother?"  
Alec met eyes with Jace, who shrugged. Ignoring Aline, Simon said, "It's fine. All I want is to get out of this place."  
"You'll go with him?" Jace asked Alec, "To make sure everything is alright?" Between them passed a stare that only the _Parabatai _could decipher. Jace was genuinely worried for Simon, and no matter how indifferent Alec could pretend to be, he was too. There was something suspicious about this situation.  
"What?" Simon asked frantically, "What's wrong?"  
Alec looked over his shoulder towards Meredith, who stood at the edge of the room quietly.  
"Nothing. Congratulations, Vampire. You get to go home," Jace smiled.  
As Simon walked past on his way to the door, Meredith finally made her presence known, "By the way, the time difference is six hours."  
All eyes turned to her. The room was silent except for the sound of Sebastian placing the fresh wine bottle on the table. "Who is this?" Sebastian asked.  
"This is Meredith," Alec said, "What's your family name? The Inquisitor didn't say."  
She lifted her right hand to show her ring, "Wayland," she sighed. Sure enough, on the ring was a large 'W' which was encircled by stars.  
Alec and Jace looked at each other, confused. But neither said a word. "She has been transferred to the New York Institute after completing her training at the Academy."  
Izzy blinked like she had been hit in the face. Alec could only imagine what could be going on in her head, as formerly being to only girl at the Institute. "That's new…" She muttered.  
Sebastian smiled. "In that case, Miss Wayland, my name is Sebastian Verlac," he said, extending a hand. She shook it.  
Alec began the other introductions"That's Isabelle Lightwood, my sister, and Aline Penhallow, Sebastian's cousin, and that's Jace W-"  
"Just Jace, actually," he interrupted.  
"My _Parabatai _." Alec finished. Meredith nodded. "Okay, I have to get back to the Gard, so you kids have fun. But not too much fun." And he disappeared down the hall, followed by Simon._

Alec rubbed the memory out of his eyes, yawning. Finally, he had begun to grow tired. His restlessness faded as he reached for his lamp, clicking it off.  
But then he heard a knock at his door.

Meredith raised her hand to the door. She took a deep breath, ready to confront him. But suddenly, the lights inside flicked off. She lowered her arm. Her chance was gone. She sighed to herself, deciding not to turn away. Her knuckles tapped the wood.

 **If you enjoyed or have any advice, please feel free to leave a comment, but I do ask that you be kind.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Mortal Instruments series or any of its characters.**

Alec pulled the door back. Outside stood Meredith, her sad eyes meeting his quickly. Without thought, he buried his face in her blonde hair, breathing in her scent as he embraced her.  
A sudden pang of guilt hit her and she pulled away, "Hi," she whispered weakly.  
He swallowed hard as he stared down at her, "Hi," he echoed.  
"Are you okay?" She asked innocently. He nodded, leaning against the doorframe to steady himself. "I think that we need to talk."  
Together, they entered Alec's room, the lamp having been turned back on when he answered the door. Alec lowered himself down onto the bed, Meredith seating herself beside him. Her eyes were misty when they stared into his, as if they were looking for something a million miles away.  
"I know what Jace told you," he said, cutting through the silence.  
Meredith blinked, her dark eyes flashing before him. "It's okay, Alec. You didn't know about any of this," she whispered, her voice low in an attempt not to wake Magnus. "But is it true? What's really going on?"  
Alec nodded slowly, his eyes not breaking his stare on her. "I just-I think I love you, okay? That's the only rational explanation there is, short of me losing my fucking mind. You're all I think about." Meredith could hear a strain in his voice and could tell that he was struggling to keep his volume at a whisper. As much as the words hurt him to utter, he couldn't stop them from spilling across his tongue. "Everything I dreamt about, the future that I had laid out ahead of me, is now taped over with a picture of you and no matter how hard I tug, I can't get it off.  
"It's eight o'clock in the morning, I'm sitting down for coffee at a café, and I can see the way your finger would grasp around the cup, if you were with me- How you'd gaze out the window at nothing in particular and the scowl across your pretty lips as you'd down a swig of coffee far too bitter for your liking.  
"It's five o'clock in the afternoon, I'm counting down the minutes 'til my training session is over, and I can hear the coo of your voice as you'd lean into the doorway with that stupid grin on your face, going on about something to distract me. The glint of trouble in your eye knowing Jace'd catch me slacking off any moment now, and probably me nail with an extra bump or bruise.  
"It's the middle of the night, my mind is racing, and I'm grasping for your warmth in the sheets beside me. I can see the faint outline of your curled body-Hell, I can even feel the smooth touch of your skin but you're not there. And I suppose that shouldn't bother me, it's never bothered me before, but it's different this time. It's fucking different.  
"I need you this time. I need you to be beside me, I need you to be with me, I need to know-that… that you're okay. I need you to know that-that no matter if I want to admit it or not, or if you even feel remotely the same way, that I love you."  
"Dammit," he muttered to himself, his head falling into his hands. "I know, I'm disgusting. I was gay, I loved a Downworlder, for fuck's sake, I even fantasized about my _Parabatai,_ and now I'm in love with my sister," guilt drowned his voice, "Maybe I'm just not capable of normal, mundane love." His voice dropped off, leaving a stale silence hanging in the air.  
With a gentle hand, Meredith reached forward and lifted his chin. "That's not true, and you know that. You're one of the most loving people I know. The problem is that you fall in love with all of the wrong people." Her hand dropped onto his bare knee.  
Their eyes locked with one another and Alec took a deep breath. He couldn't resist this intense urge that filled his heart, his mind, and his soul. He had wanted to kiss her again from the second they parted the first time. His body overtook his mind, and he gave in. He shot forward, forcing his lips onto hers. She didn't seem to hesitate, kissing him right back.  
Her chest tightened when she realized what she was doing. It took all of her strength to fight away her desire to stay there in his grasp, pushing him off of her. "No, we can't," she whispered. "I'm sorry. We just can't."  
He withdrew his arms from where they had entangled themselves around her neck. She stood, walking away. He was vaguely aware of the open and close of his door, but everything was still hazy. Returning to reality after kissing a girl that was so much like an angel was painful, and he, quite frankly, didn't want to.

Meredith sighed softly to herself, leaning back against his door. Her shoulders felt heavy, and she was almost panting, feeling as though she had just run a marathon while carrying a burden of a hundred pounds on her back. All the while, the dizzying feeling of kissing Alec hadn't subsided. His lips were like alcohol, horribly intoxicating, addictive, and potentially lethal. She wanted more. But his love was not hers to take. She heard a noise on the opposite side of the door. Her hand fumbled at her side, finding the doorknob. Her fingers encircled it. With a flick of her wrist, she turned it, slowly easing it open. In the small crack that she had created, she saw him, standing on the other side. All of the worries of the morality of the idea slipped away. She felt herself falling, and didn't want to catch herself.  
He saw her, too. Their eye contact lingered. They seemed to pass messages without words. Messages that they had refused to speak out loud.  
All of the restraint that she had placed on herself disappeared as she fell into him. Their lips met once again. This time, it was more passionate than something she had ever experienced.

She was not a good person, she knew, because if she were a good person then she would not be leaning into this boy. If she were a good person, she wouldn't let him wrap his arms around her small body. If she were a good person, she wouldn't let her hand fall to his chest. If she were a good person, she wouldn't let him tangle his fingers with her hair or press her weight into him.  
She is not a good person, she knew, because she lets him trace patterns into her skin and she doesn't stop him from pressing a warm kiss into her lips.  
She understood that she was playing with fire, dancing precariously close to an open, roaring flame but she couldn't not convince herself to keep her distance _. Fire cannot kill a dragon,_ she tells herself, the sharp corners of her mouth creeping into a grin. She knew that she was being reckless, dabbling in behavior that is likely to only get her in trouble, but she could not bring herself to care. She was tired of stepping back and letting other people have the things she wanted, or letting opportunities pass because they should've been for someone else, and she thought that maybe, just maybe, it was okay that she indulged a little bit.  
She knew that this, whatever it was, was a type of intimacy that he had not had and it made her heart clench and her stomach flip.  
 _Oh little warrior girl, why are you marching so recklessly into dangerous territory?  
_ She knew that this should be a one time thing, but she also knew that it wouldn't be. She'd let him press kisses into her whenever they had a chance. She was no stranger to secrets, and she was okay with one like him.  
They both knew that he would give her whatever she wanted. And she wanted this, she wanted him to make her stomach twist into knots because she knew that it wasn't right, but she wanted it so bad anyway.  
"What do you want from me?" She breathed, breaking away from him.  
"What do you want from me?" He echoed, but she shook her head.  
"I asked you first," she insisted, because she was somber, and really, she didn't know what she wanted.  
He sighed, "I don't know, but I like this," he nipped a small kiss on her lips, "I haven't had anything like this before." She nodded, understanding. "What do you want?"  
Her breath hitched and she looked away, focusing on some point on the brick wall outside the window. "I don't know," she muttered, "But this is good, whatever this is, is good." He showed that he agreed with a soft caress of her cheek.  
She was a matchbook playing dangerously close to fire, but she couldn't help but let it consume her anyway.

 **I'd greatly appreciate it if you would give me a little review! It doesn't have to be much, just a little feedback. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Mortal Instruments series or any of its characters.**

Alec stood in the kitchen, leaning back against the counter. A hot cup of tea rested in his palms as the morning sun began to shine through the windows. Footsteps padded down the hallway, followed by the sound of a cat's prancing paws. An angry looking warlock appeared in the doorway, his dark hair flopping over his eyes.  
"Oh," he grumbled, "It's just you."  
The flutter of love that had filled Alec's heart faded at the sight of his ex-boyfriend. "Good morning to you too," he muttered.  
Magnus grabbed a can of cat food, popped it open, and dumped it into Chairman Meow's dish. "I hope that you understand that I am still not getting back together with you."  
Alec glanced up from his tea. "Why did you help me in the first place?"  
"I felt sorry for Meredith," he paused before adding, "And just because we broke up doesn't mean that I want you to die."  
Alec was quiet before putting his mug down. "Okay. I'll wake Mere and we'll get out of your hair." As he walked out, Magnus called after him.  
"And don't expect me to help you in the future."

A small figure was curled atop the bed sheets where Alec had left her when he had grown restless. Her halo of blonde hair was spread across the pillows, so light that it almost blended in with the white of the bed dressings. A gentle smile played with her lips as she dreamed behind her closed eyelids. Alec knelt at the bedside, just in front of her. "Hey," he whispered, lightly shaking her side, "Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty."  
Her eyes fluttered before opening. She grinned wider and grabbed his hand in hers. "Hi," She said sleepily.  
He placed a soft peck on her forehead. "We need to get back to the Institute," he said quietly. She sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eye. The sweatshirt that Magnus had given her (which happened to be Alec's) swallowed her small frame. When she climbed off of the bed, it fell at about her mid-thigh, and the sleeves hung loose over her hands.  
"Can't I just go back to Clary's?" she protested.  
Alec looked at her with clear concern in his face. "I'm sorry, but you have to go. You will have to return at some point, so why not make it now?"  
She stared up at him as he stood, her eyes sad. Alec remembered that it had taken a while to get used to those black eyes. They were such a distinctive feature that brought about a stark contrast against her pale skin and light hair. Although they were black, her irises didn't blend in with her pupils. Against the whites of her eyes, however, they were prominent and eye-catching.  
"But Mayrse-"  
"I won't let Mayrse get to you," he defended her, hatred filling his voice at the thought of his mother.  
She nodded weakly, her expression softening. Her hands began to absently braid her blonde hair, readying herself to leave.

Luke Garroway paced the length of the library, internally debating which of the issues that they currently faced was more pressing. "So, you're telling me that you have absolutely no idea where your children are?" He questioned Mayrse angrily.  
"I know that they are somewhere in the city," she replied, looking up at him.  
His hands covered his face in attempt to hide his frustration. When he had woken up this morning, he had found a small piece of paper on the kitchen counter written in Meredith's curly cursive script. " _Thanks for everything. Off to fulfill duties elsewhere,"_ was all that it said. Logically, Luke assumed that she had returned home to the Institute, but when he had arrived to speak with Mayrse about Valentine Morgenstern, Meredith was nowhere to be found, nor with Alec.  
"They'll find their way home eventually," Mayrse shrugged.  
Luke's anger was beginning to escape, "They could be injured! I don't know if you fully understand what is out there right now. Sebastian could be lurking anywhere. Demons roam the streets after nightfall!"  
Just as Luke finished his argument, there was a noise outside the library. The elevator had just arrived.  
Within seconds, the oak door flew open. "They're back!" Clary called.  
At that, Luke perked up. He found himself in the foyer in a few large strides, where he saw Meredith and Alec, who was leaning on his sister for support as he appeared to be limping. From behind Luke, Jace rushed forward. "By the Angel," he swore, "where the hell have you guys been?"  
"Magnus's," Alec said in a voice of distaste.  
Meredith retold the events of the previous night, letting go of the personal details of her dream, but purposefully leaving out the part where he was in love with her. All the while, he clung to her side. The pain of his injuries had returned, waking from the dull ache that they had receded to.  
"What the Hell were you even doing out so late, Alec?" Jace demanded.  
Everything went silent. He shifted his weight and spoke the first excuse that came to mind, "I just… had to get out. I couldn't sleep."  
Somehow, despite how pathetic Alec was at lying, everyone seemed to buy it. "Come on, you need to get some rest, and I don't think that another _Iratze_ would be a bad idea either," Meredith sighed. He nodded and they began to walk. Out of the corner of his eye, Alec could see Jace edge forward, clearly wanting to help, but unable to because of the Heavenly Fire in his veins.  
Jocelyn stood beside Luke, watching the pair make their way across the room. Watching Meredith with the newly learned information of the previous day made her realize the resemblance she shared with her father. With white blonde hair and black eyes, they looked exactly the same, but Meredith carried herself in a way that was starkly different.  
"Now we can discuss why I'm really here," Luke said to Mayrse, turning back into the library.

Alec slouched forward on the edge of the infirmary bed. Meredith walked in, having just changed out of Alec's sweatshirt into her usual gear. Her Stele was balanced delicately between her thumb and forefinger, "Where do you want it?" she asked, referencing Alec's _Iratze._  
"My back?" He suggested, to which she nodded. Carefully, he pulled up his shirt, exposing his scarred and scratched back. He felt her cold hands press against his bare skin and straightened his spine slightly. The Stele burned against his flesh, but it was a pain that he had grown accustomed to over the years. With each sweeping stroke, the healing rune took form and he began to feel sudden relief from his injuries.  
"Is that any better?" She asked, peering around his shoulder. He nodded, a lopsided grin forming on his lips. Her gaze moved from his eyes down to his mouth, and her hand crept up his spine and around his neck. Slowly, she leaned in and fell into his kiss.  
He rocked back under her weight and fell onto the bed. His tongue slid beyond her lips and teased at her mouth. Carefully, he rolled to his side, covering her body with his own, exerting his dominance. She giggled slightly, introducing her tongue to him. But then the sound of a booming voice interrupted.  
Her muscles tensed. Simultaneously, they pushed away from one another, making a quick second of panicked eye contact.  
Despite the panic that it had cause, the voice continued down the hallway. It was Luke, speaking to someone else. "She says that she doesn't think a trip to Alicante is necessary," he was saying, "even thought this ordeal could effect Meredith's residency at the Institute. The Clave won't want another tie to the Morgenstern family in New York."  
Alec and Meredith met eyes again as Jocelyn replied. "Her family is here, though. They wouldn't take her away, would they?"  
"It's likely. When the Clave is at stake, they won't want to take any chances. They'll find it even more suspicious if Mayrse refuses to cooperate."  
As the voices faded with distance, Meredith stood. Her face glowed with anger. "I'll be right back," she fumed, pacing towards the door. Alec watched as she left, not wanting her to go. After she disappeared from his sight, he rose and followed.

"Why is it that you find such pleasure in the pain and torture of your children?"  
Mayrse looked up from her glass of wine as Meredith's words cut through the silence. "Now, dear, what makes you think that?"  
Meredith shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe it is the fact that you partake in it so often," she sighed, unsheathing her knife while completely unaware of the fact that Alexander Lightwood was ducked behind a bookshelf, listening.  
"Perhaps they were right. You are far to sensitive to be a real Shadowhunter," her mother retorted.  
She plunged her knife into the desk. "Excuse me?"  
Mayrse grinned, "Being a Shadowhunter takes a kind of strength in which you lack."  
Meredith sighed, ignoring the compete irrelevance of the statement. "We are going to Idris, whether you like it or not." The anger boiled hotter inside of her.  
"Good luck getting the Clave to approve, with my husband as the Inquisitor."  
"Oh, he with be rather eager for us to prove that you cheated on him. With Valentine."  
That statement struck Mayrse. Enraged, she yanked the knife from the mahogany desk. In one motion, she launching it toward Meredith.  
A scream pierced the air as the blade sailed across the room. Mayrse had barely missed, having not trained in so long. The knife had impaled itself in the wall behind Meredith. In an instant, she was pinned against the case, her mother pursuing her. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a slight movement in her vision. "Alec!" she shouted, gasping for breath.  
He stared, horrified. Everything had seemed to slow down. His breath caught in his chest. He had to do something, but he didn't know what.  
Meredith emitted another ear-splitting shriek. Within seconds, the library doors snapped open. A stream of people flooded into the room.  
"Mayrse!" Luke growled. Mrs. Lightwood scowled, no more than an inch from her daughter's face. Her breath reeked of red wine. "Let her go!"  
She grasped the knife that was lodged in the wall, "Say that you won't go," she demanded in a low voice.  
Meredith shook her head defiantly.  
"Say it," Mayrse snarled, pulling the knife free, "because it would be a pity if I had to destroy such a pretty face." The flat of the blade brushed against Mere's face. The tip punctured her lip and slashed across her chin.  
Then Luke pounced, claws extended. A firm gripped yanked at Meredith's arm. Jace pulled her away to safety. In the commotion, she caught a glimpse of Clary, who cowered in the doorway.  
"Drop the knife," Jace ordered. To his surprise, Mayrse listened. The clang of the blade on the wooden floor echoed into the sudden silence of the library.  
Alec's hand shook in horror at the scene that had just unfolded before his eyes. Meredith stood not but a foot away from him, clearly shaken up.  
"Come on, Mere," Clary urged, tugged at her older sister's wrist. Alec watched as the two of them rushed out, a stream of blood dripping from Meredith's face.

 **I'd greatly appreciate it if you would give me a little review! It doesn't have to be much, just a little feedback. :)**


	7. Chapter 7

"Let's clean you up," Clary suggested as they entered the infirmary. The red haired girl pressed a cloth against Meredith's face, who sat on the same bed that Alec had not long ago. "Are you okay?" Clary prompted a few seconds later.

"Yeah," the older girl whispered shakily.

Clary pulled the cloth away, now drenched with blood.

What the hell happened?" Jace asked loudly as he stormed in, tailed by Alec.

"I-uh… she…" Meredith stuttered.

Alec cut her off, "Jace I already told you." The blond ignored his _Parabatai._

Clary pulled out her stele, carefully drawing a healing rune on her half sister's neck.

"Did she just… attack?" Jace pressed again. Alec opened his mouth to speak, but Jace cut him off, "And I don't want to hear it from you," he stated sternly.

"Jace, I'm not-"

"I said that I don't want to hear it!" Jace shouted, turning to face Alec.

Meredith finally spoke up. "He didn't do anything. It wasn't his fault," She said quietly.

"Exactly," Jace huffed, "He didn't do anything. All he did was stand and watch."

"There wasn't anything he could have don't to stop her, It just all happened so fast," Meredith defended.

Alec glanced up to her. The blood on her face made him feel sick to his stomach. He could have prevented this. He could have stopped his mother. But he didn't, and he had no idea why.

Meredith began to push herself off of the bed, but a sharp wince covered her face. "Are you okay?" Alec asked.

She was quiet for a moment, falling back down on the bed as she hesitated to answer. "I think Jace burned my arm," she said lowly.

Once again, Jace perked up. "Show me," he demanded. Meredith extended her arm to reveal a large burn on her forearm. "By the angel." Jace's face had gone pale.  
"I wasn't even thinking about it. Mere, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, really," Meredith said in a voice that sounded oddly apologetic, though Jace didn't know why she was the one apologizing, "it's not like you meant to or anything."

"A rune can't even heal that," Isabelle said from the doorway as she peered in. Meredith nodded, knowing that her sister was right. Runes, a power of heaven, could not heal an injury caused by the fire of heaven.

"How bad does it hurt?" Alec asked, clearly concerned.

She shook her head, "It's really not that bad."

"Yes it is, dammit," Jace growled loudly. His hands grasped at his own hair, tension filling his entire being.

The sound of the door opening once more cut through the disquietude like a knife. In stormed Luke, seemingly angry. Luke was the first to speak. "I think that you kids just need to leave the Institute for a little while."

Clary gave him a questioning look. "For how long?" She asked.

"Just for today. We are having some representatives from the Conclave gather here for a meeting, and it would be best if you weren't here for it."  
Everyone exchanges glances.

"Go out and get some fresh air. Try to relax, if you can," he encouraged.

"I'm supposed to train with Jordan in the park today. Maybe you guys can come along," Jace suggested.

Alec shrugged, kind of liking the idea of getting out. Together, they began to exit the infirmary.

"Meredith," Luke called. She turned to face him. "Maybe you should stay. Just in case we need you," he suggested. Meredith glanced behind her towards her friends. They all looked back at her.

"Okay," she sighed quietly.

Everyone else turned and exited. As they walked, Meredith could hear them talking. "I should go get Simon," she heard Clary say.

* * *

Meredith sat in the back of the library, watching as the meeting took place. There were yells and arguments that broke out periodically, but her attention was trained on the text conversation that she was having with Alec. It wasn't about anything, really. Just nonsense chat about arbitrary topics. They had recently come to rest on the subject of beaches and how Meredith had never seen one. He seemed appalled before he suddenly stopped replying.

The heated discussing around the table (about what, Meredith was unaware) was abruptly interrupted when a Shadowhunter whose name Meredith didn't remember stormed through the doors.

"There's been an attack! Institutes are being attacked!" The man yelled, "gather everyone! Women and children too!"

Chaos erupted. Panicked Shadowhunters ran everywhere in hysteria. Meredith typed out a quick text to Alec, hoping that he would see it.

* * *

Maryse was standing, ticking off names on her fingers as she chanted aloud. "Berlin," she said. "No survivors. Bangkok. No survivors. Moscow. No survivors. Los Angeles—"

"Los Angeles?" said Jocelyn. "That was the Blackthorns. Are they—"

Maryse looked startled, as if she hadn't realized Jocelyn had come in. Her blue eyes swept over Luke and Clary. She looked drawn and exhausted, her hair scraped back severely, a stain—red wine or blood?—on the sleeve of her tailored jacket. "There were survivors," she said. "Children. They're in Idris now."

"Helen," said Alec next to Meredith.

"Aline's girlfriend," Clary blurted out, and saw the Conclave look at her with thinly veiled hostility. They always did, as if who she was and what she represented made them almost unable to see her. This made Meredith wonder if they would look at her in the same way. "Is she alright?"

"She was in Idris, with Aline," said Maryse. "Her younger brothers and sisters survived, although there seems to have been an issue with the eldest brother, Mark."

"An issue?" said Luke, his voice growing confrontational. "What's going on, exactly, Maryse?"

"I don't think we'll know the whole story until we get to Idris," said Maryse, smoothing back her already smooth hair. "But there have been attacks, several in the course of two nights, on six Institutes. We're not sure yet how the Institutes were breached, but we know—"

"Sebastian," said Clary's mother. She had her hands jammed into the pockets of her black trousers, but Meredith suspected that if she hadn't, she would have been able to see that Jocelyn's hands were tightened into fists. "Cut to the point, Maryse. My son. You wouldn't have called me here if he wasn't responsible, would you?" Jocelyn's eyes met Maryse's, and Meredith wondered if this was how it had been when they'd both been in the Circle, the sharp edges of their personalities rubbing up against each other, causing sparks.

Before Maryse could speak, the door opened and Jace came in. He was flushed with the cold, bareheaded, fair hair tousled by the wind. His hands were gloveless, red at the tips from the weather, scarred with Marks new and old. He glanced to Clary and gave her a quick smile before settling into a chair propped against the wall.

Luke, as usual, moved to make peace."Maryse? Is Sebastian responsible?"

Maryse took a deep breath. "Yes, yes he was. And he had the Endarkened with him."

"Of course it's Sebastian," said Isabelle. She had been staring down at the table; now she raised her head. Her face was a mask of hatred and rage, a slight edge in her voice. "He said he was coming; well, now he's come."

Maryse sighed. "We assumed he'd attack Idris. That was what all the intelligence indicated. Not Institutes."

"So he did the thing you didn't expect," said Jace. "He always does the thing you don't expect. Maybe the Clave should plan for that." Jace's voice dropped. "I told you. I told you he'd want more soldiers."

"Jace," said Maryse. "You're not helping."

"I wasn't trying to."

"I would have thought he'd attack here first," said Alec. "Given what Jace was saying before, and it's true—everyone he loves or hates is here."

"He doesn't love anyone," Jocelyn snapped.

"Mom, stop," Clary said. Her heart was pounding, sick in her chest; yet at the same time there was a strange sense of relief. All this time waiting for Sebastian to come, and now he had. Now the waiting was over. Now the war would start. "So what are we supposed to do? Fortify the Institute? _Hide_?"

"Let me guess," said Jace, his voice dripping sarcasm. "The Clave's called for a Council. Another meeting."

"The Clave has called for immediate evacuation," said Maryse, and at that, everyone went silent, even Jace. "All Institutes are to empty out. All Conclaves must return to Alicante. The wards around Idris will be doubled after tomorrow. No one will be able to come in or get out."

A smile had started to creep onto Meredith's lips. Now they had to go to Idris, whether Mayrse liked it or not.

Isabelle swallowed. "When do we leave New York?"

Maryse straightened up. Some of her usual imperious air was back, her mouth a thin line, her jaw set with determination. "Go and pack," she said. "We leave tonight."


End file.
